No One Knows How to Get to JFK from Williamsburg (OR DO THEY?)

New York City’s airport problem is legendary. JFK is
extremely far, LaGuardia is extremely small, and Newark is
in New Jersey. (One secret is that in many ways Newark is the best
airport for New York—depending! It all always depends.)

Sloppy thinking in New York City might tell you that the best
way to go long distances is via cab. You don’t have to think, you
can see the speed you’re making and, you know, you feel like a rich
lady. But the transit systems of New York have been improving
radically over the last ten years (though the improvements can
destroy your weekends!) and now? No one agrees on how to get to JFK
from North Brooklyn. I asked, people answered, and no one agrees.
Taxi! Livery service! LIE! LIRR! The… J train???

Obviously, if price is an issue, the pub transpo is your best
option. You can get to JFK, if you play your cards right, for like
one subway and one bus fare. Also you might die of boredom. Also
you can spend $45 easy (or $450—see helicopter suggestion). And
then the problem with cabs is: who knows! Time to airport can be
+/- a full hour.

In the middle is the car/train combo (smart!) and the LIRR,
which is mildly more expensive than the subway BUT has departure
and arrival times, which are ALWAYS exact. It’s a great reason to
take the LIRR. You never know about the subways. But and then…

Technically true—LGA is extremely close (and incredibly loud,
hi-o!)—but it also has like 1.5 runways and if a raindrop falls
everything gets shut down and it becomes a horrific refugee camp in
MINUTES. All of my air travel professionals won’t fly into LGA if
they can help it.